A/C Cylinder

Alamo carries refrigerant recovery cylinders, dedicated refrigerant storage tanks, and cylinder accessories used in professional automotive A/C service. These include recovery-only tanks for captured
refrigerant, service cylinders for shop refrigerant supply, and specialized R-1234yf handling vessels built to the higher-pressure and flammability standards required for that refrigerant.

No. R-134a and R-1234yf must be recovered into separate, dedicated cylinders. R-1234yf recovery cylinders must meet DOT specifications for mildly flammable refrigerants (A2L classification). Mixing refrigerants in the same cylinder creates a contaminated blend that cannot be legally reclaimed or recycled.

A recovery cylinder holds refrigerant captured from a vehicle system — it should not be used for virgin refrigerant supply. A service cylinder holds virgin or reclaimed refrigerant ready for system recharging.
Using the correct cylinder type for each purpose prevents cross-contamination and maintains refrigerant quality.

Recovery cylinders should never be filled more than 80% of their rated capacity by weight, as required by DOT regulations. Most professional A/C service machines have built-in scale monitoring that stops
recovery before the cylinder reaches maximum fill weight. Overfilling a refrigerant cylinder is a safety and regulatory violation.

DOT-specification refrigerant cylinders are subject to periodic retest requirements — typically every 5 to 12 years, depending on cylinder material and design. Cylinders past their retest date must be removed from service. Check the cylinder's stamped test date before placing it in service.

Yes. R-1234yf cylinders must meet more stringent standards due to the refrigerant's mild flammability (A2L classification) and operating pressure characteristics. Properly rated R-1234yf vessels cost more than standard R-134a cylinders and should not be substituted with lower-rated equipment.

Professional refrigerant cylinder handling typically requires a cylinder scale for accurate charge and recovery weight monitoring, a cylinder cart or holder for safe storage and transport, valve protection caps, and appropriate service hose connections. For R-1234yf, a certified recovery machine with appropriate R-1234yf certification is required.